Clock



Oct. 4, 1932. 5.1.. CARLSON 1,880,790

CLOCK Filed March 4, 1950 Patented Oct. 4, 1932 UNITED ELOF I1. CARLSON, OF BRISTOL, COI'TNECTICUT, ASSIGNOB TO THE E. INGRAHA'M COMPANY, OF BRISTOL, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION CLOCK Application filed March 4,

My invention relates to an improvement in that class of shelf clocks in which the more ment-unit is mounted in and supported by a panel forming the clock-frame, the object being to produce, at a low cost for manufacture, a simple, readily-assembled and disassembled clock constructed with particular reference to compactness of form, stability of organization, and attractiveness of appearance.

With these and other objects in view as will hereinafter appear, my invention consists in a shelf clock having certain details of construction and combinations of parts as will ce hereinafter described and pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a view in rear elevation of a clock embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side View thereof;

Fig. 3 is a view of the clock with its panel and dust-cap in vertical transverse section and its movement-unit in side elevation;

Fig. 4 is a view corresponding to 3 with the exception that the dust-cap is omitted, the panel being shown also by broken lines in three of the positions which it as sumes in being maneuvered over the projecting parts of the movement-unit before it is positioned against the annular assemblingflange of the bezel of the movement-unit;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view in vertical section taken on the line 5-5 of 3;

Fig. 6 is a detached rear View of the panel r forming the clockframe unit, with the movement-unit indicated in place by broken lines;

Fig. 7 is a detached perspective View of the panel forming the clock-frame unit; and

Fig. 8 is a corresponding view of the clustcap.

In carrying out my invention as herein shown, I employ a panel 10 (preferabl of cast-metal), having a circular dialopeni 11 and formed upon its lower edge with two complementary win lik-e feet 12 by whic 11 the clock is in part supported. The rear fee of the said panel 10 is formed with an annular assembling-rib 13 which is engaged by the outwardly-flaring forward edge 14: of a cup-like sheet-metal dust-cap 15 having an 1930. Serial No. 433,051.

integral back 16. The movement-unit, which may be of any desired construction and is designated by the general reference number 17, comprises a sheet-metal mountingring 18 to which the movement proper is se cured and which carries at its forward end a bezel 19 provided with an annular assembling-flange 20 adapted in diameter to engage with the front face of the panel 10 immedi ately around the circular central dial-open- (50 ing 11 thereof.

it is to be here noted that, as a whole, the move nit-unit is in its extreme measurements in the plane of its movement-plates, larger than the diameter of the dial-opening 11 in the panel 10, this bein one of the salient features of my improved crock.

In assembling the clock, therefore, the panel 10 must be nenvered from rear to front with res acct to the movement-unit, in order to seat it against the assemblingfiange 20 of the bezel 19, these manipulations of the panel being necessary because, as above pointed out, the movement-unit in its maximum dimensions is made considerably larger than the dial-opening 11 in the panel 10. The phases of these manipulations to negotiate, as it were the assemblance of the panel and movement-unit are suiiiciently illustrated in Fig. l, in which A represents in broken lines the panel as lifted so as to have its upper edge passed or hooked over the upwardlyprojecting parts of the movement-unit, such as the alarm-spring 21, the main alarm-wheel 22, the vergdwhcel 23 and the upper corners of the front and rear movement-plates 2e and 25.

The next step is to draw the panel downward with respect to the movement-unit, in its own plane into the position in which is indicated by the broken lines B. In this position the lower portion of the dial-opening 11 clears the clock-bell 26 and the lower corners of the said movement-plates, and may then be swung into the position indicated by broken lines G.

As the result of these manipulations, the panel has now been passed over those parts of the movement-unit 17 which extends out- 0 wardly beyond the diameter of the dial-opening 11 in the panel 10. The panel is, there fore, now in a position to be lifted in its own plane and slid axially forward over the bezel 19, so as to be brought to a bearing against the assembling-flange 20 thereof.

After'the panel has thus been passed from rear to front over the movement-unit and positioned as described, the cup-shaped dustcap 15 is passed over the movement-unit and its flaring forward edge 14 brought to a bearing upon the annular assembling-rib 13 upon the rear face of the panel 10.

The movement-unit 17 the panel 10 and the dust-cap 15 are now drawn together and firmly united and stabilized by means of nuts 27 applied to the threaded rear ends 28 of the movement-pillars 29, which project rearwardly through holes 30 in the integral back 16 of the dust-cap. When the said nuts are turned to a bearing upon the rear face of the said back 16, the flaring flange 14 of the dust-cap is drawn to a firm bearing upon the rear face of the rib 13 of the panel 10, while at the same time the movement-unit 17 is drawn, as a unit, rearward with respect to the panel 10 and dust-cap 15 so as to seat the assembling-flange 20 of the bezel upon the outer face of the panel 10 around the dial-opening 11 therein, with the result that the panel is pinched between them.

Now to provide positive means for guarding against the relative rotation of any of the three major elements of the clock, namely, the movement-unit, the panel, and the dust-cap, I provide the panel in its rear face with an integral anchoring-lug 31 intersecting its rib 13 and entering an anchoringnotch 32 in the forward edge of the dust-cap 15. By thus interlocking the panel and the dust-cap, it is obvious that no strain of rotary movement exerted upon the time-unit through the medium of the winding-key 33 can have any effect upon the movement-unit, since that, in turn, is coupled against rotary movement with the dust-cap 15 by the extension of the rear ends 28 of the movementpillars 29 through the holes 30 in the integral back 16 of the cap. 1

One of the outstanding advantages of my present invention is the production of a shelf clock of the type to which it belongs of very compact form, but having a movement-unit of a size suflicient to insure ruggedness. This result I secure by dispensing with the usual cylindrical case for the movement, which in the prior art has been enclosed within a supplementary dust-guard. To this end the three main units of my improved clock are adapted in their dimensions to permit the movement and the panel to be maneuvered as described, so that, although the maximum dimensions of the movement-unit are larger than the dial-opening in the panel, the same may be negotiated with respect to each other,

so that they may be combined, notwithstanding these differences in size, whereby I secure a very compact clock with the advantages of a rugged movement over a small movement, which requires greater precision in manufacture, and is, therefore, much more expensive and more liable to derangement. In other words, I am enabled, under my in vention, to use a standard clock-movement with a relatively-small dial.

This application is a continuation in part of an application filed by me May 15, 1929, Serial No. 363,301. 1

I claim:

In a clock of the class described, the combination with an assembling-member having a centering-portion adapted to enter an opening in a panel and to center a movement relative to said opening; of an uncased movement secured to and rearwardly projecting from the said assembling-member and having its running parts exposed and projecting radially beyond the centering-portion of the asseinblingmeinber; a unitary panel having an opening therein substantially corresponding in size to the centering-portion of the said assembling-member but smaller than the running parts of the movement projecting radially beyond the said centering-portion; and a dust-cap fitted over the said movement to which it is secured and bearing against the rear face of the said panel.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification.

ELOF L. CARLSON. 

